Wednesday, October 29, 2008

It's that time of year again. You know... that time when we set back the clocks and can no longer ride outside after work. Dust off those trainers, it's time to convince yourself that you will be in better shape than your competition next season if you hop on the trainer now.

For some people (ie Michael G) getting on a trainer is about as likely as solving third order differential equations. Thankfully, he also has a weakness for new gadgets and the new JetFluid Pro trainer might be the ticket to his winter training.

It looks like the design team was hard at work for this one. They've developed a new resistance system which operates at a lower temperature. More importantly, the resistance unit has a quick release CAM and a new skewer clamp. That leads to faster trainer to dinner transitions which leaves more time for desert. They are also compatible to 29er wheels for those of you who feel like hopping on your big mtn bike this winter. I think the best improvement is the ability to level one leg at a time. That means you can set up your trainer anywhere and won't have to worry about those dreaded trainer accidents when you fall over while not even moving.

Like the older Fluid2, the JetFluid also gives a progressive, power adjusted, resistance which allows you to feel like you are on smooth road instead of a grated bridge. Believe me, that makes a difference when you decide to hop on for a workout.

I'd also like to note the high level of customer service at Cycle-Ops. After years of riding my fluid trainer I wore the thing out last season and it started to make noise. Cycle-Ops sent me a new unit so quickly I didn't even have to use the back-up wind trainer.

So if you're in the market for a new trainer, trying to convince your gadget husband to get on the bike, or just want something new this winter, take a look at these new trainers. They even look better than the normal ones so you can feel fast while being stationary.

--- I'd also like to take this opportunity to share my favorite aerobic threshold trainer ride.